Dr. Huffman's 4-POINT CHRONIC PAIN PROGRAM…

<<<--- IMPORTANT: Register in the "Free Consult" box on this page by clicking the "Get Started" button. You will receive a FREE phone consult with Dr. Huffman to get questions answered in regards to your chronic pain condition. You will also receive your initial examination with Dr. Huffman for $47! You can also call our office directly to schedule at 763-398-7770!

We have worked with enough chronic pain patients

to know that it robs you of your full enjoyment of life. Whether it limits you from playing with your kids or grandkids or is stopping you from performing your favorite activitities, the pain must stop NOW!

It does not matter if you have "bone-on-bone" arthritis, a failed back surgery or a history of repetitive trauma, there is reason for hope! We want to help you get rid of this chronic pain once and for all! Learn about how our treatment is different than any other you have tried.

If you are suffering from chronic pain (back, neck, nerve, knee, muscle) it is critical to assess the health of the nervous system (brain and nerves) in addition to just the muscles and joints where you have the pain! Dr. Huffman is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist through the American Chiropractic Neurology Board and a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner through Functional Medicine University. This has allowed him to specialize in treating chronic pain in a more complete, comprehensive manner than what is traditionally done!

Many cases of chronic pain and arthritis are driven by nerves that are dying in your legs and/or arms. One of the KEY differences in our approach to eliminating your  pain is that we stimulate the nerves that are called large diameter afferents (LDAs)!   LDAs prevent or inhibit pain by firing in to an area in the spinal cord known as Laminae II.  These LDAs also are critical in stablizing your joints when you are walking, running or lifting. If they are not working it leads to additional wear and tear in the joints and muscles.

When you are suffering from chronic pain in a tissue it is your brain that is telling you that you are in pain. The longer the brain perceives pain in a tissue the more trained the brain becomes to continue to feel pain in that tissue. This is what is called "Central Sensitization." Most people have heard of "phantom limb" pain where a foot that has been amputated can continue to be perceived as foot pain by the amputee. The same thing happens in the low back, the knees, and the neck. If you have ongoing pain in your low back for months, even after the tissues in your back have fully healed you can continue to "feel" low back pain because of "central sensitization." This is why we perform a head to toe exam on all of our patients suffering with chronic pain! Our approach will work to normalize nerve function, retrain the pain centers in the brain, and restore health to the joints and the muscles in the region of chronic pain!

In addition to healing damaged nerves and retraining the brain, we also have to remove scar tissue adhesions in the muscles that support the joints where you are suffering from pain.  These adhesions form over the course of one’s lifetime as a result of minor traumas (falls, bumps, bruises, etc.) This scar tissue creates instability in the joint's and can lead to chronic inflammation and swelling! 

NOTE: In addition to evaluating the role the brain, the nerves and the scar tissue play in your chronic pain, we use these grounbreaking therapies to optmize healing and reduce inflammation!

Here are explanations of some of the primary therapies that we will be doing in the office to relieve your chronic pain.  You will notice that we mention the price of each machine... this is because there are many cheap “knock-offs” of these machines out there. We want you to know that we only use the “real-deal" in our office:

POINT #1: The M6 Robotic Laser (www.celasers.com):

The M6 laser is THE DEEPEST tissue penetrating laser available on the market!  It is a revolutionary break-through in laser therapy!

It            

              It supports pain reduction through these mechanisms…

             A. Accelerated cell reproduction and growth.

B: Faster healing: The laser stimulates fibroblast development (these are building blocks) in damaged tissue.  This can help in the reduction of recovery time.

C: Increased metabolic activity: Helps the body increase output of specific enzymes that increase oxygen delivery to damaged tissues.

D: Reduces fibrous tissue formation: The laser reduces the formation of scar tissue following tissue damage from sprains, tears, cuts, scratches, burns, or surgery.

F: Anti-inflammatory action: The laser reduces swelling caused by inflammation in the joint to give improved joint mobility. This is very important in relieving your pain.

G: Increased vascular function and nerve activity: The laser stimulates lymphatic flow and blood circulation to allow the affected tissue to have the best possible circulation.  It may also help stimulate nerve function.  

If you have arthritis resulting in nerve dysfunction, it can result in “dead” limbs or numb areas. Laser therapy can speed up the process of nerve cell reconnection to bring the numb areas back to life.  

H: The laser also increases the amplitude of action potentials to optimize muscle action.

POINT #2: Hako-Med Therapy (www.electromedicine.com):  

The most advanced electrotherapy on the market today! 

What is Electromedicine and Horizontal Therapy?

We have incorporated a new therapy, known as Horizontal Therapy. This machine (ProElec DT 2000) has been a breakthrough in electromedicine, combining all known forms of electromedical therapy.  It is the most sophisticated form of electrotherapy available.

A German company, Hako-Med, engineered and manufactured this advanced unit to create a unique electrotherapy treatment concept called Horizontal Therapy.  The field of electromedicine has evolved over the years and provided us with electrical muscle stimulation, TENS therapy, microcurrent, and interferential therapy.  Each of these methods of electrotherapy has a particular role in treating a variety of conditions, 

but none of them approach the therapeutic effects which are combined in the PRO ElecDT 2000 with Horizontal Therapy.

Communication between cells takes place in two ways: bioelectrically and biochemically.  Whether the cells are in bone, muscle, ligament or nerve tissue, communication occurs via electrical currents and chemical messengers.  When cellular communication is impaired, pain and disease occur, so that the normal functional state is lost.  This causes a further breakdown in cellular communication.

Up until now, either the bioelectrical or the biochemical communication could be enhanced with electrotherapy at one time, but, not both at once.  

With Horizontal Therapy, both bioelectrical and biochemical components can be treated all in one treatment session.  By holding the bioelectric intensity constant while changing the frequency, Horizontal Therapy can have a broad spectrum physiologic effect. 

What Types of Conditions are Successfully Addressed with Horizontal Therapy?

Pain conditions such as joint degeneration, inflammation, arthritis, peripheral neuropathy, low back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, overuse injuries, headaches, muscle spasms, nerve pain, and many other conditions can be effectively treated with the horizontal therapy.  

At low frequencies in the bioelectric range, circulation, lymphatic flow, swelling, pain and muscle function can all be improved.  At higher frequencies in the biochemical range, circulation, lymphatic flow, swelling, pain, immune system function, muscle activation and metabolism are enhanced.

Is Horizontal Therapy Safe?

It should be noted that the bioelectrical currents that are used in the PRO ElecDT 2000 are entirely safe.  They have been rigorously tested and have surpassed all standards required for biomedical devices.  The current is painless and in most cases is not even felt.

POINT #3: RAPID RELEASE Therapy (RRT):  

Removing Scar Tissue Adhesions (a key component in relieving your muscle or joint pain)!

Scar tissue forms in the body as a temporary patching mechanism for wounds caused by surgery, trauma or repetitive stress.  Scar tissue forms and connects tissue that is not normally connected. These abnormal connections are called adhesions.  Adhesions can spread, entrapping nerves, causing pain or numbness, and limiting range of motion.  Undiagnosed pain and restricted mobility are likely to be caused by these scar tissue adhesions.  

Scar Tissue Therapy:

Rapid Release Therapy targets painful adhesions using resonance. RRT has determined the optimum frequency for maximum effectiveness.  Our frequency also triggers the Tonic Vibration Reflex or TVR.  This frequency is well known to instantly relax muscle guarding, cramps and spasms.  RRT is unique in the above properties as it operates many times faster than other therapeutic devices, and it feels great too.  

Scar Tissue therapy is focused on relief of soft tissue problems caused by adhesions including:

 Knee Pain 

Carpal Tunnel

Low Back and Neck Pain

Muscle Spasms

Trapped Nerves

Range of Motion

Contractures, Neuromas

Shoulder and Ankle Pain

Headaches, TMJ

Tennis Elbow

#4: PEMF: Pulsed ElectroMagnetic Field Therapy (www.youneedthepulse.com):

There are over 10,000 research studies on PEMF (Pulsed Electro-Magnetic Therapy) on Pubmed.com.  (Go to pubmed.com and search PEMF).

What are some of the basic beneficial actions PEMFs will have in my body?

Increased Circulation

One of the most basic functions magnetic fields have in the body is to increase circulation. When a cell (such as a red blood cell) is injured or ill, it does not hold its ideal charge. This causes red cells to “stick” together, making circulation slow. When a magnetic field passes through the red cell, the membrane becomes properly charged, allowing the cell to repel itself and keep itself separate from other red cells, thereby increasing circulation. In addition, PEMFs increase various chemicals in the blood vessel walls that cause the blood vessels to dilate, improving the amount of blood flowing through the vessels and therefore increasing the amount of oxygen delivered to the tissues.

Poor circulation makes tissues unhealthy and prone to disease and breakdown. Improved circulation helps tissues get the nutrition and oxygen they need, while expelling the waste they produce. Good circulation helps with tissue healing and regeneration. The result of improved circulation is the reduction of swelling and the removal of bruising.

Enhanced Muscle Function

Muscle energy, needed for muscles to work, is developed through a process called Myosin Phosphorylation. Myosin is muscle, and phosphorylation is energy (ATP) production. Optimal energy allows muscles to work harder and longer, and recover more quickly from their work. Muscles that are contracted or in spasm are better able to relax, decreasing tension and reducing the pain caused by spasm.

Decreased Inflammation

Inflammation is a cascade of physiologic processes initiated by the body to repair cellular damage in tissues by increasing the blood flow to the damaged area and increasing the number of good inflammatory cells. The process of inflammation is generated and supported by the interaction of a number of immune cell types, with other cell types (like T cells) playing a regulatory role in the cascade effect. Inflammation is a necessary and beneficial process, but it often persists longer than necessary, resulting in chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is frequently a cause of chronic pain. PEMFs have been found to reduce chronic, damaging inflammation.

Inflammation can be initiated by many causes, and knowing the nature of the cause is important in designing therapeutic approaches.

T cells are a major regulator of the inflammatory cascade. In bacterial infections, early infiltration of the affected tissues by white blood cells is followed by the arrival of T cells, which kill bacteria. In this circumstance, eliminating of T cells can delay or stop healing. Conversely, in trauma-induced injury, T cells are less important to the healing process, and may be harmful if present for too long. In this case, elimination of T cells can minimize the unwanted effects of inflammation, accelerate healing, and reduce the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases. In chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, or tendinitis, T cells support the persistence of the disease state, and removing them would be favorable.

Research shows us that PEMFs can induce the appropriate death of aged, chronic T lymphocytes, by actions on T cell membranes and key enzymes in cells. For example, PEMFs affect ion flow through specific cell membrane channels (like those for sodium, potassium, and calcium), which positively affect these enzymes.

Stress Reduction

Stress is part of being human. Normal stress, called eustress, is necessary for survival. Too much stress is very harmful to the body, and accelerates aging. Stress is responsible for at least 65% of our illnesses, so stress reduction is necessary for all of us. Stress-reducing activities performed only now and then will allow too much stress-related damage to accumulate over time. Therefore, stress reduction must be a daily activity. Magnetic fields have many stress-reducing effects. Daily use of PEMFs help to wash away the negative effect natural stresses have on our bodies.

Bone Healing

Magnetic fields pass through the body – even the bones – as if the body wasn’t even there. PEMFs work to repair bones, whether they are damaged by surgery, injury, or disease, and have been found to improve bone regeneration such as occurs with osteoporosis and osteopenia, among other bone destroying conditions.

Blood Oxygenation

Just as a fire cannot burn without oxygen, our cells cannot produce heat and energy without oxygen. Our lungs extract oxygen from the air we breathe. It passes into our blood and is carried by arteries away from the heart and delivered to the rest of the body, including all the organs. PEMFs help with the process of extracting oxygen out of the air we breathe and help it to be transported into the circulation. The absorbed oxygen is then transported through the body to all the cells, where it is absorbed into the individual cells. In the cells, enzymes and other basic cell energy production processes use the oxygen for cell metabolism, the energy necessary to function properly. The metabolism of an organism determines which substances it will find nutritious and which it will find harmful. Proper blood-oxygen levels at the cell level (not just in the blood) allow this process to continue quickly and efficiently. After the oxygen exchange takes place, veins carry deoxygenated blood and metabolic waste products away from those same cells and back to the heart for recycling again.

We help chronic pain patients in our office and if we accept you as a patient, it is because we sincerely feel that we can help you too!

Register in the box at the top left side of this page and receive a FREE phone consult with Dr. Huffman. You will also receive your in-depth pain examination with Dr. Huffman for $47!

This exam will consist of a detailed case history and an examination of your muscles, joints, and nerves to determine the exact cause and severity of your chronic pain.